Our subject was born July 18, 1818, in Pittsburg, Pa., and was a son of John and Jane (Bates) Cole, natives of England, who came to this country in the spring of 1818. When he was but a few months old his parents emigrated to Hardin County, in this State, of which they thus became very early settlers. He grew up under pioneer influences to a sturdy, self-reliant manhood. He gleaned his education in the early schools of Southern Illinois, which were not so fully equipped as those of to-day, and were often taught by teachers who were not proficient in their calling.

Ambitious to do something for himself and make more of life than he could in the environments of his early home, in 1844, Mr. Cole made his way to this county. For a time he worked by the month as a farm hand, being thus employed for two years, perhaps, and receiving the equivalent of $10 in repayment for his services, having half of it in money and half of it in trade. He then ventured still higher in his calling, and for ten years carried on agricultural pursuits as a renter. At the expiration of that time he bought a farm of eighty acres on section 34, Millbrook Township, paying nearly $6 per acre for it. This farm, in its highly improve condition, is the residence of his widow. When he settled on it the land was in a wild state, not a furrow having been turned, nor any attempts made at improvement. His was the pioneer task to make of it a good farm, and well did he succeed in his efforts, placing the land under excellent tillage, erecting a substantial class of buildings and putting the place in good order. He subsequently bought forty-three additional acres of fine farming land, and at the time of his death left a valuable estate of one hundred and twenty-three acres of land.

Mr. Cole was married April 16, 1846, to Miss Mary A. Cutter. Mrs. Cole is a native of Richland County, Ohio, where she was born July 29, 1829. Her parents were Isaac and Sarah (Metcalf) Cutter, natives respectively of New York and Ohio. Her mother was of Scotch descent and her grandfather Metcalf was a Revolutionary soldier. When Mrs. Cole was about fourteen years old her father died in Brimfield Township, of which he was a very early pioneer, coming to this county in 1833. He was one of the first settlers of French Grove, being one among the four families who originally located there, and the first election in the township was held in his house.

Mrs. Cole’s marriage with our subject was blessed to them by the birth of a large family of children, of whom the following survive: John, a physician and druggist in Rochester; William H., a resident of Barry County, Mo.; Isaac F., living in Knox County; Charles, in Allen County, Kan.; Sarah, wife of G. L. Doubet, of this county; Lucy, wife of George Nelson, of Knox County; Lemuel, residing in Williamsfield; Frederick; Margie, now Mrs. Parker, of Knox County; Job and Newton J.

In his career as a farmer and stock raiser Mr. Cole manifested shrewdness, discretion, calculation and an intelligent understanding of the principles of agriculture, coupled with prudence and industrious habits. His credit was always good and his character unimpeachable, he being possessed of those qualities which make the most desirable citizens of any community. He had in his wife one who zealously aided him in his work, and to her faithful co-operation and excellent counsel was attributable much of his success. She survives him and holds an honorable place among the pioneer women of this township, who were such an inspiration and aid to their fathers, husbands and brothers in their great work of developing this portion of the country. Mr. Cole was happy in his domestic relations, being a loving husband and a devoted father, and in his intercourse with his neighbors he was always pleasant and considerate. He was interested in political affairs and gave his sturdy support to the Republican party. A lithographic portrait of Mr. Cole is shown on another page of this ALBUM.

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